Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

.... Dane - That is a good idea! I'd been planning on having a switch in the radio bezel to turn the inverter on. But, if I just used the switch to bring the factory aux battery relay in it would accomplish the same thing. Maybe have switch on the dash bring in power to behind the seat even if the engine isn't running, but normally have it brought on in Accy or Run....

This might be a use for an on-off-on switch set up like NW Power Products(?) has on their battery isolators that I'm pretty sure we've talked about before. In the center position it would shut off all power to behind the seat, while in one "on" position it would be on all the time and in the other it would only be on when the engine was running.

I haven't thought that through completely, but it seems like it could be a nice function to have.

Bob - That's an interesting idea. It would let me shut everything off behind the seat even when driving. But it would take a single-pole double-throw switch, and since I'm using the Carling V-series switches I'll have to see if they have one.

As for what I did today, mostly this will be a bunch of pictures.

First, I connected to the dome/map light wiring, as previously discussed - as shown below. But for details, the light is held on with #8 sheet metal screws that go into those Nylon terminals, so I just put ring-tongue terminals on the wires, ran the screws in, and then coated the hot ones with "liquid tape".

Then I turned to the GMRS radio. I blasted the bracket, tacked two nuts on, and powder coated it:

How many holes do you see?

Here the bracket and radio have a layer of Noico foam on them:

And here's a shot of the radio's speaker through the "conduit" created when the bracket goes onto the radio:

Here's a layer of foam on the L-bracket:

And here 'tis all put together - 4 layers of foam channeling the sound from the radio into the cab:

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Bob - That's an interesting idea. It would let me shut everything off behind the seat even when driving. But it would take a single-pole double-throw switch, and since I'm using the Carling V-series switches I'll have to see if they have one.

As for what I did today, mostly this will be a bunch of pictures.

First, I connected to the dome/map light wiring, as previously discussed - as shown below. But for details, the light is held on with #8 sheet metal screws that go into those Nylon terminals, so I just put ring-tongue terminals on the wires, ran the screws in, and then coated the hot ones with "liquid tape".

Then I turned to the GMRS radio. I blasted the bracket, tacked two nuts on, and powder coated it:

How many holes do you see?

Here the bracket and radio have a layer of Noico foam on them:

And here's a shot of the radio's speaker through the "conduit" created when the bracket goes onto the radio:

Here's a layer of foam on the L-bracket:

And here 'tis all put together - 4 layers of foam channeling the sound from the radio into the cab:

Ummm, 51?

[Gary Lewis]

Ummm, 51?

Yup. (I was expecting 49, but I'd forgotten about the mounting holes. )

The mill made that work very precise. Not easy, mind you, but precise. I took Scott's advice and mimicked the dash cover, which has 1/8" holes set on roughly a 1/4" grid. But I made it exactly .250".

[kramttocs]

Yup. (I was expecting 49, but I'd forgotten about the mounting holes. )

The mill made that work very precise. Not easy, mind you, but precise. I took Scott's advice and mimicked the dash cover, which has 1/8" holes set on roughly a 1/4" grid. But I made it exactly .250".

That all looks excellent and how you hooked into the wiring is top notch!

[Gary Lewis]

That all looks excellent and how you hooked into the wiring is top notch!

Yes, I kinda thought the wiring approach was cool.

Tomorrow I plan to work on the antenna wiring/connectors, and then I'll move on to the speaker wiring. And if I get that done I can install the Highliner.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I kinda thought the wiring approach was cool.

Tomorrow I plan to work on the antenna wiring/connectors, and then I'll move on to the speaker wiring. And if I get that done I can install the Highliner.

Midday report - the antenna connectors are installed and the antenna lead shortened.

But does anyone know a source for the cargo light gasket? The MPC shows it as part of the light kit, and gives it a # of 15A551. I guessed that the whole part number is E0TZ 15A551-A since the light is E0TZ 15551-A, but haven't found it that way nor as E2TZ 14A551-A, which it might have been since the kit has an E2 prefix.

[kramttocs]

Midday report - the antenna connectors are installed and the antenna lead shortened.

But does anyone know a source for the cargo light gasket? The MPC shows it as part of the light kit, and gives it a # of 15A551. I guessed that the whole part number is E0TZ 15A551-A since the light is E0TZ 15551-A, but haven't found it that way nor as E2TZ 14A551-A, which it might have been since the kit has an E2 prefix.

I couldn't ever find them sold separately so ended up picking up a nos unit (e2tz-15550-a).

If that hadn't been available I'd thought about buying a aftermarket unit just for the gasket. Haven't looked lately but the aftermarket units I found at the time weren't cheap...

[ArdWrknTrk]

Midday report - the antenna connectors are installed and the antenna lead shortened.

But does anyone know a source for the cargo light gasket? The MPC shows it as part of the light kit, and gives it a # of 15A551. I guessed that the whole part number is E0TZ 15A551-A since the light is E0TZ 15551-A, but haven't found it that way nor as E2TZ 14A551-A, which it might have been since the kit has an E2 prefix.

Didn't we have contact with a guy who was punching gaskets for the heater box and other firewall penetrations???

I thought it was Dave who got a set when he installed his 'new to him' AC plenum?

[Gary Lewis]

I couldn't ever find them sold separately so ended up picking up a nos unit (e2tz-15550-a).

If that hadn't been available I'd thought about buying a aftermarket unit just for the gasket. Haven't looked lately but the aftermarket units I found at the time weren't cheap...

That's a bummer! I'm thinking about trying to make one out of that Noico sound foam. Or just RTV.

[ArdWrknTrk]

That's a bummer! I'm thinking about trying to make one out of that Noico sound foam. Or just RTV.

Don't do silicone. It won't last long term.